


New Hire

by Userknown



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Rhys has a thing for Zer0 implied, Vaughn is mentioned but not really relevent, teen for description of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21539740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Userknown/pseuds/Userknown
Summary: While rebuilding Atlas, Rhys takes a trip back to Pandora to offer a job opportunity to his favorite vault hunter.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	New Hire

Rhys hated the look of the old technical. It was nothing like the sleek new vehicles they’d been developing on Promethea. Too clunky, heavy, and overtly Pandoran. He tried to hide his contempt for the car as he thanked Vaughn for letting him borrow it, and promised that both he and it would return in one piece. 

Pulling up a map on his Echo, Rhys set to driving. It had been awhile since he’d gone anywhere on his own, and for once he was glad. Annoying car or not, there was something freeing about being away from a million messages and meetings a day. 

It took Rhys about 25 hours, including time to sleep, to make it to Fink’s, and as planned he arrived just before the start of that day’s Bandit Slaughter. As he watched people crowd around the entrance he decided he’d never seen so many bandits, or gotten so many dirty looks, in such a short period of time. He saw about half walk over in one direction, while the others pulled tickets or cash out of various pockets. Rhys followed the second group, reaching for his own wallet as subtly as he could. 

Realizing now that he stuck out far more than he meant to, Rhys did his best to stay out of the way of the people around him. The faster in and out, the better, especially as he thought about what watching the show would entail. He could handle the death of bandits actively shooting at him, but he didn’t see himself enjoying the gore the posters outside promised. 

Someone took his money and gestured in the direction of a large, moving platform, which he was directed to step on alongside about twenty bandits. He spent most of the short journey staring at his own feet, as if deeply preoccupied by the condition of his shoes. No one acknowledged him this time, too busy with their own excitement over the coming performance. 

“I’ve heard they’re more fun to watch than any of the others,” someone said. “Great sniper, but just as good hand to hand? I’ll take that over any of that mid-range bullshit any day,” he laughed. 

“We aren’t here to support the vault hunter,” someone else complained, elbowing the first man hard. 

“Ah c’mon. The vault hunters never lose, not like anyone we know is ever gonna find out we weren’t rootin’ for them.” 

Rhys let out a breath. Well, it sounded like Vaughn’s information was good, at least. They were here, somewhere in the building. It was only a matter of time before Rhys could finally set his eyes on Zer0 again. 

The group crowded over to the windows, which were thick, and almost plastic-like, overlaid with metal bars. It didn’t make it particularly easy to see down into the arena, but based on the stray bullets lodged halfway into the glass, Rhys figured it was probably better to take the hit to visibility. 

He looked down into the arena again, taking in as much of the setting as he could. It seemed like there were a lot of areas he wouldn’t be able to see very well, but this time there was no paying his way into better seats. 

Rhys pressed his robotic arm against the wall, steadying himself as the bandits around him twisted and shoved. The cold of the entire space was making the fit of the metal against his skin uncomfortable, and he was a little worried about the functioning of certain joints that hadn’t been cooled this much in months, if ever. He shivered, then froze as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Whoever had grabbed him did so gently, catching him further off guard. 

“You look like you're freezing, honey. Why don’t you come over here and let me warm you up.” 

Rhys didn’t have to turn around to know who was speaking, but he did so anyway. Moxxi stood behind him, smiling, but there was something in her expression he couldn’t quite decipher. Disappointment? Anger? Did she know what he was here for? 

Either way, he knew better than to refuse a one on one with Moxxi and followed her out to a separate space. As the pair walked off he heard someone snicker ‘lucky bastard’. 

He only hoped her intention wasn’t to ‘warm him up’ with the business end of her weapon.

Moxxi led Rhys to what he assumed was her private box. It did have a much better view, and was set up for a much smaller crowd. There were several chairs, but it looked like today he was her only guest. 

“Sit down,” she gestured to the seats. “There’s still a few minutes before the show.” 

Rhys nodded, sitting down in one of the two closest to a window, made of a similar material to the one he’d seen before. “So, should I assume you know who I am?” 

“You should,” she responded, shifting around in the back of the room. She returned with two glasses of something, and offered him one. He refused, but thanked her and leaned back in his chair. 

“Someone told you why I was here too, right?” 

“You want to take my favorite vault hunter away. I will admit, I’m not thrilled, but we may be able to come to some sort of...arrangement.” 

Rhys sat up slightly, and rubbed at the back of his neck. “What kind of arrangement?” 

“I want to expand my business. I’ve heard good things about the reconstruction on Promethea, and I’d like to be a part of it. You make that happen, and I won’t stand in the way of your little rendezvous.” 

Rhys, surprised, nodded agreeably. So far this was going a lot better than expected; a complete success, even, provided Zer0 had no qualms. He held his hand out to her. 

“It’s a deal,” they shook. 

A moment later his attention was pulled away from business with Moxxi as the arena door slid open. There, standing on their own, was Zer0. They were currently unarmed, and despite the mask Rhys could _feel_ that they were calm, totally confident in their abilities. 

He watched Zer0’s movements carefully, the long strides, the way they pulled themself so elegantly up the ladder to the main console. They withdrew a pistol from their storage deck with one hand, and pressed a slender, gloved finger to the button in front of them. 

“I hope you’re ready for a show,” Moxxi said, swirling her drink in its glass. She took a sip, careful not to smudge her lipstick. 

The first bandits were released into the arena, and Zer0 set to disposing of them quickly. Rhys kept his eyes to Zer0 as much as possible, trying to determine where they were, and when their hologram was out, but still found himself tricked almost as often as the bandits were. 

Slowly, the more enemies Zer0 mowed down and the closer Rhys looked, the more he could tell when the real Zer0 was fighting in front of him. Their movements had a grace that the hologram failed to capture, and a ruthless efficiency Rhys didn’t think any device could ever emulate. 

Something in him said he should be terrified by this kind of power, disgusted by the carnage, but as always he was entranced, eyes both human and robotic tracking every whirl of a sword or sudden switch of a weapon. 

Rhys also liked seeing Zer0 fight with a sniper rifle, how they managed to move with such precision under such high pressure, but to him their use of the sword was even more impressive. He remembered the day at the death rally when he’d used it himself, and how Zer0, just for a second, had seemed intrigued by him. 

“How long does this go on for?” Rhys asked, still watching Zer0 in wonder. 

“We’re onto the final wave now. You’ll get your chance to talk soon, I’d imagine,” Moxxi placed her empty cup down onto a small table beside her with a solid thud. 

It looked intense now. Zer0 had blown through the previous waves, but something seemed off now. They hadn’t pulled out any of their sniper rifles in a while, and seemed to be relying mostly on SMGs, which they’d avoided in almost all the earlier fights. 

“What’s with the weapon switch?” He asked, more to himself than anything, but Moxxi responded nonetheless. 

“Limited ammunition capacity. It’s impressive seeing Zer0 snipe their way through a fight, but it’s over so fast. Sometimes there’s more pleasure in taking it slow.” 

In the moments Rhys’s eyes had left Zer0 they’d been pushed to a wall, hiding behind a pillar for as much cover as they could get. Rhys could tell easily this time when they deployed their hologram, as Zer0’s transition wasn’t the same smooth fade he’d gotten used to seeing. There had been a slight stagger, some movement of Zer0’s that didn’t match up as perfectly as they needed, revealing the trick. 

The bandits still seemed to believe it, giving Zer0 time to make it down to a more covered, empty area. Their movements seemed off now, not as polished as they normally were. They leaned against a wall. _Catching their breath?_ Rhys wondered. 

A bandit snuck up as they took their momentary rest, but was greeted with a sword through the chest. Despite the kill, Zer0 looked no better, seemingly leaning harder against the wall. Rhys didn’t like seeing Zer0 injured, but also wouldn’t have been particularly worried if it wasn’t for the group running toward the weakened vault hunter. 

“Get going,” he urged, knowing Zer0 couldn’t hear him. “They’re close, get _moving_.” 

The group started shooting, and while Zer0 dodged a good number of the bullets, Rhys could see them take several hits, apparently with their shield down. 

“When do you help?” Rhys asked, now standing, approaching the glass. “How bad does it have to get for you do something?” 

Moxxi frowned, breaking her usual character. “This is Pandora. Winner wins, whoever that may be. Friend, or not. But don’t worry. I’ve yet to see Zer0 lose a fight.” 

Rhys, a few shades paler than before, swallowed thickly. “So if they died, we’d just stand here? Watching?” 

Moxxi gestured to the group of bandits, both in the arena and viewing the carnage from up above. “Would you like to interfere?” 

Rhys shook his head. She was right; there was one way this ended well, and it was entirely up to Zer0. 

Inside the arena, Zer0 had formulated something of a plan. They drew the attention of the bandits to the last remaining barrel. Bright green, corrosive. They slipped into Decepti0n one more time, running far and equipping a shock grenade. 

Rhys watched as sparks flew, followed by a wave of acid, and the screaming of a horde of bandits. He looked away, deciding he didn’t need to what happened there. Zer0, meanwhile, stood on the other side of the arena, unmoving. Rhys glanced back again as many of the bandits fell to the ground, never to stand again. Zer0 watched as well, looking for any last survivors. 

There was only one, but he remained determined to the last, pulling his pistol and aiming directly for Zer0’s mask. Before he had the time to fire a round, Zer0 had put their sniper rifle to use one final time. 

Rhys felt tension drain from his shoulders as the door Zer0 had entered the arena from opened once again. They had the chance to leave now, but didn’t bother yet, choosing to pick through the belongings of the deceased bandits instead. 

Moxxi stood up, shifted her dress, then walked over to Rhys. “We can go in now, if you’d like.” 

Rhys’s shoes hit the cold pavement with cyclical clicksas he made his way toward Zer0. The vault hunter didn’t acknowledge him yet, still preoccupied with comparing new and old weapons. 

“Zer0,” Rhys said, hesitantly, afraid the vault hunter wouldn’t find him worthy of their time, or that they’d immediately refuse his offer. 

“It has been long, Rhys / Why return to Pandora? / Something you forgot?” 

“No, nothing I forgot,” Rhys found himself flustered face to face with the vault hunter. How couldn’t he be when they stood there, drenched in blood yet carrying on conversation as if the two had bumped into each other at a coffee shop. 

“I actually came here for you,” he paused, chiding himself on how the words came out. “Um, in a business sense, I mean. I want you,” he gestured at Zer0, then flushed at his own words. “I want you to come work for me, and for the new Atlas,” he finally managed, each word seeming like its own battle. 

For a moment Zer0 didn’t move or speak, and Rhys was afraid he’d offended them in some way. Would a vault hunter ever want to give up the danger and thrill of Pandora for city life on Promethea? 

“Interesting thought / Never done corporate work / My newest challenge?” Zer0 asked themself, mulling it over. 

“You don’t have to decide right now,” Rhys responded. “But if you want this, you’ll always have a place in Atlas,” he held out his human hand. 

Zer0 considered him, for just a moment, then reached out to shake his hand. Rhys stared, shocked that Zer0 had accepted. 

Hands still together, Rhys looked into Zer0’s mask, right where he imagined their eyes might be. 

“Welcome aboard.”


End file.
